Assembly for positioning a thermogravimetric furnace

Abstract

An apparatus for positioning a thermogravimetric furnace includes a furnace mounting bracket which is rotatable about and linearly translatable along a single axis. In addition, simultaneous rotational and linearly movement of the furnace is excluded.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Apparatus for positioning two halves of a thermogravimetric furnace, said apparatus comprising, in combination: a first portion of a thermogravimetric furnace disposed at a fixed location;   a rotatable shaft;   means affixing a second portion of a thermogravimetric furnace such that said second portion rotates about the axis of said shaft when it rotates and said affixing means is longitudinally displaceable along said shaft;   moving means coupled to said affixing means to longitudinally displace said second portion relative to said shaft between a first position where said first portion and said second portion fit together to form an oven enclosure;   rotating means to rotate said shaft between two positions, the first position comprising a cooling position and the second position comprising an engaging position whereat said moving means may be actuated to cause said first and said second portion to fit together;   means for excluding simultaneous rotation of said shift and longitudinal displacement of said affixing means.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said rotating means includes an electric motor and includes means to limit the extent of rotation to between said two positions. 
     
     
       3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said means for controlling the extent of rotation includes a slip clutch. 
     
     
       4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 further comprising: means for limiting the extent and velocity of said linear translation.   
     
     
       5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said limiting means including a pneumatic piston interconnected with said furnace portion affixing means. 
     
     
       6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said pneumatic piston is bi-directionally translatable within a cylinder having a pneumatic input at each end thereof. 
     
     
       7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising: means for limiting the extent and velocity of said linear translation.   
     
     
       8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said limiting means including a pneumatic piston interconnected with said furnace portion affixing means. 
     
     
       9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said pneumatic piston is bi-directionally translatable within a cylinder having a pneumatic input at each end thereof. 
     
     
       10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said excluding means includes a plurality of position sensors each of which provides an electrical signal indicative of the presence or absence of said furnace portion affixing means at a plurality of specific positions. 
     
     
       11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein two of said plurality of sensors are indicative of the rotational position of said furnace portion affixing means whereby linear translation is inhibited at one rotation limit and uninhibited at the other rotational limit. 
     
     
       12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein two of said plurality of sensors are indicative of the linear translation position of said furnace portion affixing means along said shaft whereby rotation of said shaft is inhibited at one linear translation limit and uninhibited at the other linear translation limit. 
     
     
       13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein two of said plurality of sensors are indicative of the linear translation position of said furnace portion affixing means along said shaft whereby rotation of said shaft is inhibited at one linear translation limit and uninhibited at the other linear translation limit. 
     
     
       14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising means for cooling said second furnace portion when said shaft is at its cooling position. 
     
     
       15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein said cooling means is activated as a result of a signal indication of the rotational position of said shaft.